Strange Air Conditioner Noise

[Qs Laptop]

I’ve been worrying about my air conditioner, but it seems to be working fine. However, last night while watching TV I noticed a strange noise coming from the compressor unit outside. It was a loud ticking noise that sounded like the fan bearings were failing. It seemed to happen just as the AC was starting up a new cooling cycle, then went away, but the noise didn’t happen every time.

I was watching Star Trek Strange New Worlds when out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter. To the patio door I flew like a glider, tore open the curtains and pulled back the slider. When what to my wondering eyes did I see then, but a small garter snake whose tail was caught in the fan! His tail was hanging down through the grill, the sound of the fan ticking it; my ears they did fill. The snake was dried out, his body frozen in place, the fan hitting his tail a metronome keeping pace. I pinched him mid-body and gave him a yank, oh my gosh, he was stuck, that snake! His serpentine body around the grill rods was curled, I gave a great pull, onto the patio he was hurled!
(Apologies to Clement Clarke Moore)

Anyway, how could a snake “climb” the sides of an AC compressor unit? Did he shimmy up the power cable? I suppose he was attracted to the heat, got his body tangled up in the grill, couldn’t get free and eventually died of dehydration whereupon his tail hung down into the spinning fan.

 

[JoeWras]

Many snakes can climb vertical surfaces that are rough. The grates around the coil possibly provide that avenue. Alternatively, it came in from a hole in the bottom and climbed internally where there are a bunch of wires, compressor, or squeezed between the grill and coil.

I'm always a little freaked out remembering the time I lifted my garbage container lid on one of those new-ish large roll carts everyone now has. Instead of lifting the lid, I unknowingly lifted a snake off the container. Felt great.

 

[Qs Laptop]

I'm always a little freaked out remembering the time I lifted my garbage container lid on one of those new-ish large roll carts everyone now has. Instead of lifting the lid, I unknowingly lifted a snake off the container. Felt great.

Yick! That would get the corpuscles a jumpin'.

 

[jazz4cash]

Looks like a hose reel snake to me. I found one on top of a patio side table the other night. It slithered over the patio chair seat too. Not pleasant thinking about sitting where it slithered.

Help Me Identify This Snake
https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2790771

 

[Winemaker]

Could a raptor have lost its grip and dropped it, landing on the unit? I've seen two hawks "mingle" when one had a meal in his clutches and had to let go to defend itself.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Could a raptor have lost its grip and dropped it, landing on the unit? I've seen two hawks "mingle" when one had a meal in his clutches and had to let go to defend itself.

It's possible as there are raptors in our area.